According to "On The Air" Lum and Abner started in 1931 and was on the air til 1950 so I'd have to agree it was popular. of course back when the series started we were in the Great Depression and then WWII so I think it's safe to say that people needed something to laugh about to take their minds off of their problems too. People went to the movies a lot back then for the same reason. Apparently much of the 1941-1945 run was cut up for syndication, but much has been pieced back together including the original commercials (according to OTA). It became more like a normal sitcom in 1948. The series was also based in real life as the stars were from a town in Arkansas though both were college graduates.

According to "On The Air" Lum and Abner started in 1931 and was on the air til 1950 so I'd have to agree it was popular. of course back when the series started we were in the Great Depression and then WWII so I think it's safe to say that people needed something to laugh about to take their minds off of their problems too. People went to the movies a lot back then for the same reason. Apparently much of the 1941-1945 run was cut up for syndication, but much has been pieced back together including the original commercials (according to OTA). It became more like a normal sitcom in 1948. The series was also based in real life as the stars were from a town in Arkansas though both were college graduates.

Thanks for the info.

Having listened to the "normal sitcom" ('4 it is horrible, IMO. It's forced and many new (and horrible) characters are added.

In the early shows (and mine start in 1935) almost all the characters were done by Chester Lauck and Norris Goff. They mispronounce almost every word more than 6 letters. It's almost always worth a laugh.

I don't remember if I stated this earlier but I listen to just one show a day. This gives a real rhythm to show and I will walk around thinking, "What will Lum and Abner get themselves into today?"

Hey all. I've been a fan of Lum and Abner for many years. My Mom told me she enjoyed them as a kid in the 1940's, so I've always wanted to hear the same shows she enjoyed. (I'm 42 btw). I really enjoy the more subtle brand of humor in LA -I like that it's not just the same joke and patter formula with a studio audience as many other comedy shows of the era. (The later shows with an audience repulse me! I don't know if I'll be able to make it through an entire episode of those- tried once and failed.) I love other standard comedy shows, but LA works best with just the two of them and no audience or sitcom formula.

For the past several years, I've listened to a several Lum and Abner episodes every night, in chronological order. I started with the year 1935, and currently am listening around mid-1946.

It was fascinating to go completely through World War II with the series, and in a way re-living the war years as they unfolded. Listening in order before and during the war, I really got an overview of how shows like this were both an escape from the war itself, but also reminders of things like war bond drives, rationing, the draft, etc. Listening now at the start of the post-war era, I find it interesting how the subtext is the return to a peace time economy and the rebuilding efforts in Europe. Just listening to a few episodes here and there doesn't give one the full picture, as the real context of the times is often buried in the banter.

It's taken me a while to really pick out which characters are Lauck, and which are Goff. Many times, it's really hard to believe it's just the two of them.

It can be jarring when they have a guest star- and when a female voice is heard, it's really jarring! It's cool to note the 'tricks' they often employ to keep from actually voicing many of the characters (especially females) even when they are deeply involved with the stories. My least favorite moment would have to be an episode where we actually hear Abner's wife 'Lizbeth speak. I'd much rather just imagine her -and other similar characters like Ms. Emaline- than actually hear them. Suddenly hearing characters that never spoke in 10 years or more of shows just feels like such a 'cheat'.

Another interesting thing about Lum and Abner is how the storylines meander. It generally takes a bit of a time investment to see a storyline complete. And often there isn't an ending; the stories will just take off on a new tangent as the characters seem to just forget all about something that had been building up for a while. That can get mildly frustrating when you were really looking forward to an outcome to some crazy scheme of Lum's or what-have-you, but generally whatever new tangent they get caught up in takes over the imagination and so all the glaring loose ends can be overlooked.

Anyway, I wonder if Lauck and Goff ever imagined they'd have new generations of fans following their creations long e after the show left the airwaves? I can't help but imagine they'd have loved the idea of computers and the Internet carrying their lives' work so far into the future.

Hey all. I've been a fan of Lum and Abner for many years. My Mom told me she enjoyed them as a kid in the 1940's, so I've always wanted to hear the same shows she enjoyed. (I'm 42 btw). I really enjoy the more subtle brand of humor in LA -I like that it's not just the same joke and patter formula with a studio audience as many other comedy shows of the era. (The later shows with an audience repulse me! I don't know if I'll be able to make it through an entire episode of those- tried once and failed.) I love other standard comedy shows, but LA works best with just the two of them and no audience or sitcom formula.

Exactly. They did that live show in 1948 (I think it was) and it's just horrible. Everything seems forced. Abner is totally not funny at all in the live show.

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For the past several years, I've listened to a several Lum and Abner episodes every night, in chronological order. I started with the year 1935, and currently am listening around mid-1946.

You are a bit ahead of me. It's a lot of fun the way we are doing it, isn't it?

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It was fascinating to go completely through World War II with the series, and in a way re-living the war years as they unfolded. Listening in order before and during the war, I really got an overview of how shows like this were both an escape from the war itself, but also reminders of things like war bond drives, rationing, the draft, etc. Listening now at the start of the post-war era, I find it interesting how the subtext is the return to a peace time economy and the rebuilding efforts in Europe. Just listening to a few episodes here and there doesn't give one the full picture, as the real context of the times is often buried in the banter.

I so much agree with you. I went through Fibber McGee and Molly a couple of years ago and Great Gildersleeve too, it was like I was went through the war with the folks in the US. Bonds, food rationing and stamp books, car-pooling etc.

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It's taken me a while to really pick out which characters are Lauck, and which are Goff. Many times, it's really hard to believe it's just the two of them.

Again, I totally agree. Maybe we could find/make up a list of who is who? I'll look around for one, otherwise, we could try and make a list.

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It can be jarring when they have a guest star- and when a female voice is heard, it's really jarring! It's cool to note the 'tricks' they often employ to keep from actually voicing many of the characters (especially females) even when they are deeply involved with the stories. My least favorite moment would have to be an episode where we actually hear Abner's wife 'Lizbeth speak. I'd much rather just imagine her -and other similar characters like Ms. Emaline- than actually hear them. Suddenly hearing characters that never spoke in 10 years or more of shows just feels like such a 'cheat'.

Wow, your experiences are so similar to my own!

Barabara Stanwyck was on a show the other day (she was on a bond tour in Arkansas) and I was like, whoa, a woman! And some lady popped in the show yesterday, playing Charity Spears (Grandpap's wife - rather Buster p> Davenport, he lost his memory!) And when I heard her, I was like, was that Lum or Abner?

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Another interesting thing about Lum and Abner is how the storylines meander. It generally takes a bit of a time investment to see a storyline complete. And often there isn't an ending; the stories will just take off on a new tangent as the characters seem to just forget all about something that had been building up for a while. That can get mildly frustrating when you were really looking forward to an outcome to some crazy scheme of Lum's or what-have-you, but generally whatever new tangent they get caught up in takes over the imagination and so all the glaring loose ends can be overlooked.

Haha I know. And there are the occasional missing episodes and I wonder, what the hell happened to Cedrick getting married? (or whatever.)

Another odd thing is how at the end of the show they walk away from the microphone as the end zinger comes in...

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Anyway, I wonder if Lauck and Goff ever imagined they'd have new generations of fans following their creations long e after the show left the airwaves? I can't help but imagine they'd have loved the idea of computers and the Internet carrying their lives' work so far into the future.

I really doubt it. Lum and Abner is a very complex universe. I haven't taken the time to explore the several web sites devoted to them but I think I will do that today. Pine Ridge is inside of my mind and I have a map of it in there. It's a wonderful place.

Lauck played the characters of Lum Edwards, Granpappy Spears, and Cedric Weehunt. Goff played Abner Peabody, Dick Huddleston, Mousey Grey, and Squire Skimp. Lauck and Goff rarely used their scripts, except on the rare occasion that a guest appeared. They usually just ad-libbled through most of the show.

I also know that Goff played the character, Ulysses S. Quincy (he sounds very much like Squire Skimp and mostly, he just says, "O-kay, O-kay.")

* Ol' Blue (Abner's dog)
* Ol' Lead (Lum's dog)
* Ol' Trump (Ezra Seestrunk's dog)
* Avery the Talkin' Donkey (Granpap told Abner that he once heard this donkey talk with his own two ears)
* Clyde the Ghost (Charlie Redfield used to converse with him accordin' to Granpap)
* Clyde the Mouse
* Robert the Robot
* Mr. Dilbeck (the Jot 'Em Down Store mannequin, named after the banker at the county seat)
* Geraldine and her kittens (the Jot 'Em Down Store cat)
* Pinky Winky (a storybook character of which Cedric is a big fan)
* General the Parrot (can say "The Marines are coming!")
* Chester the Turkey (Lum fed him hot tamales to fatten him up for Thanksgiving)
* Garfield (Grandpap's one-man dog who wouldn't let Grandpap in the yard)
* Dixie Belle and Mary Jane (races horses at the county seat that Abner bet on once)
* Ervin the Lion
* Matildy (Grandpap's cat)

Hey Jimbo, it's great to meet fellow fans of Lum and Abner! It's funny how our observations of the show are so similar. I still have the Great Gildersleeve, Fibber and others to look forward to listen to in order as well.

Thanks for the list of characters! I'm amazed how many of those I don't recognize. I've got a lot of characters/stories to look forward to. I really like how they aren't just the characters, but whole families of characters that really make up a real community. That gives the show so much depth.

Diogenes Smith! That was one of my favorite storylines; love how the characters all adopted the phrase "Wonderful world!" after that. I find myself saying that sometimes, along with common L.A. phrases like "Well if that don't beat the bugs a fightin'" and "Worn to a frazzle... worn to a fraa...zzle!"

Hey Jimbo, it's great to meet fellow fans of Lum and Abner! It's funny how our observations of the show are so similar. I still have the Great Gildersleeve, Fibber and others to look forward to listen to in order as well.

Thanks for the list of characters! I'm amazed how many of those I don't recognize. I've got a lot of characters/stories to look forward to. I really like how they aren't just the characters, but whole families of characters that really make up a real community. That gives the show so much depth.

Diogenes Smith! That was one of my favorite storylines; love how the characters all adopted the phrase "Wonderful world!" after that. I find myself saying that sometimes, along with common L.A. phrases like "Well if that don't beat the bugs a fightin'" and "Worn to a frazzle... worn to a fraa...zzle!"

Great list! Lots of memories in there!

Haha you made me laugh - 'Worn to a frazzle - worn to a Frazzzzzzzzzzzle!"

I never cared at all for Diogenes. As a matter of fact, that's one of the scenarios I couldn't wait for to be over! But I do like Cedric's, "Wonderful World!" everytime he pops into the Jot 'em Down.

Again, maybe I should look or we should come up with all of those kooky phrases.

"I'll swan to goodness!" - "Course not! That's just an old Eddard's sayin' ", and Abner's innocent, "Huuuuuuh?" whenever there is something either he's about to get in trouble for or that he plain doesn't understand.

One of my favorite scenarios was when Lum was oing to give a big party for Grandpap to get his memory back and the boys went looking at the social section of the St. Louis paper for ideas. And Lum sees an article about a famous St. Louis socialite and decides to take her maiden name as his middle name to promote party - Lum Whitley Eddards. HAHAHA that was just too funny.

Haha, actually maybe it is bugs a bitiin' , that would somehow make more sense. I dunno. I do kind of like the wackiness of 'bugs a fightin', maybe I just hear it that way.

How about,

Grandpap "For the law me sakes!" and "Spaven-legged ___ whatever."

Or when he doesn't believe something: "Priddle-praddle!" or "Sassyfrass! Sas-see frass!"

Surprised: "Well I do know!"

I love how Lum is always telling Abner or Cedric to "Hesh up!"

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One of my favorite scenarios was when Lum was oing to give a big party for Grandpap to get his memory back and the boys went looking at the social section of the St. Louis paper for ideas. And Lum sees an article about a famous St. Louis socialite and decides to take her maiden name as his middle name to promote party - Lum Whitley Eddards. HAHAHA that was just too funny.

Do you ever get the impression that maybe Cedric is retarded? He can drive and has a job but, yes mom, he's a slow one, I'll swan to goodness.

I am curious, where you are in the series, is Dick Huddleston ever around? He disappeared from the show a heap while back where I am - and he is the like the only voice of reason (aside from Grandpap, who seems to be all there.)

Do you ever get the impression that maybe Cedric is retarded? He can drive and has a job but, yes mom, he's a slow one, I'll swan to goodness.

I like to think he's an idiot savant!

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I am curious, where you are in the series, is Dick Huddleston ever around? He disappeared from the show a heap while back where I am - and he is the like the only voice of reason (aside from Grandpap, who seems to be all there.)

Do you think that Dick Huddleston might be Goff's normal everyday voice? He's definitely the voice of reason; also it seems like a 'real' voice as opposed to Goff doing a character. I've always thought I bet Goff sounded most like DH himself, or even that it's really just his normal voice.

Yeah, I noticed too that DH was largely absent from the show after the mid 1930's- they mostly just refer to his store, but we never hear him. (I like when Granpap is minding the store, and is too lazy to fill grocery orders so he just tells people to go across the street and get what they need at DH's store! )

I'm up to mid 1946, and you'll be glad to know that yes, in several storylines from mid 1945 and early 1946 DH (voice and all) is back and even a central figure in several stories. The first time I heard him again in a later episode, I was surprised. "Hey, it's actually Dick Huddleston, in the flesh, and once again trying to talk some sense into Lum!"

Do you ever get the impression that maybe Cedric is retarded? He can drive and has a job but, yes mom, he's a slow one, I'll swan to goodness.

I like to think he's an idiot savant!

I believe you are right! Do you notice, a lot of the end gags of the show revolve around some one "one-upping" Lum. Most of the time it seems as though it is Cedric.

As you suggest, Cedric may not be that stupid. And he's a physical workhorse and a great pinball player. I'm guessing he is about 17 years old, maybe 18? What is your impression of his age?

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Do you think that Dick Huddleston might be Goff's normal everyday voice? He's definitely the voice of reason; also it seems like a 'real' voice as opposed to Goff doing a character. I've always thought I bet Goff sounded most like DH himself, or even that it's really just his normal voice.

Yes mom, I believe you're right. One reason is because he sounds a bit like Mousey Gray, just not as slow.

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Yeah, I noticed too that DH was largely absent from the show after the mid 1930's- they mostly just refer to his store, but we never hear him. (I like when Granpap is minding the store, and is too lazy to fill grocery orders so he just tells people to go across the street and get what they need at DH's store! )

Haha Granpap is slick. Grandpap is probably my favorite character, according to the almanac!

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I'm up to mid 1946, and you'll be glad to know that yes, in several storylines from mid 1945 and early 1946 DH (voice and all) is back and even a central figure in several stories. The first time I heard him again in a later episode, I was surprised. "Hey, it's actually Dick Huddleston, in the flesh, and once again trying to talk some sense into Lum!"

I've told you where I am, Squire Skimp has been absent for at least 50 shows and they have only mentioned his name once or twice. I am guessing he will show up again, too?

Speaking of Cedric, I like how they refer to the grade level he's in as "The Fifth Reader" or whichever level. I never heard that term 'reader' before to refer to a grade level, but it's funny.

I actually picture Cedric is actually in his early 20's, but his mental age keeps him "The Fifth Reader"! Socially, he's like a child, but every now and then he stumbles across something that he's a genius at. He's the kind of guy you tell him do something, and without question he just answers "Yes Mom."

That phrase has always baffled me. Sometimes Lum and Abner use it to- but why "Yes Mom?" At first, I thought Cedric was saying "Yes Lum" but then I noticed he says it to Abner as well. I still don't quite get it, but it's funny just the same.

Squire Skimp is central to a lot of the stories I've been listening to lately. Interesting- because I never really missed him during his absence from the show. I always find myself thinking, "Why do these guys always fall for Squire's schemes?! Don't do it Lum! Don't sign on the dotted line!"

"Ohhh,Tut! Tut! Lum! Nothing to worry about! Now if you'll just sign right here..."

You'd think after so many years of getting ripped off by the guy they'd learn not to trust him, but somehow they always do! Definitely a fun dynamic with that character.

The one character I haven't heard from in a long while is Mousey Gray. He got married, went off to war, came back, and then seemed to promptly disappear from the show. He poked his head in the store once or twice during the first part of 1946, but other than that, not a trace.

Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving- about to go have a great dinner with the family.

That phrase has always baffled me. Sometimes Lum and Abner use it to- but why "Yes Mom?" At first, I thought Cedric was saying "Yes Lum" but then I noticed he says it to Abner as well. I still don't quite get it, but it's funny just the same.

I thought it was "Yes, Lum" for a while, but I am certain now that it's, "Yes, mom." I too am baffled at his and have no idea why "elders" are referred o this way, such as the more common, "yes sir/no sir." Maybe it's an Arkansas thing?

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Squire Skimp is central to a lot of the stories I've been listening to lately. Interesting- because I never really missed him during his absence from the show. I always find myself thinking, "Why do these guys always fall for Squire's schemes?! Don't do it Lum! Don't sign on the dotted line!"

"Ohhh,Tut! Tut! Lum! Nothing to worry about! Now if you'll just sign right here..."

You'd think after so many years of getting ripped off by the guy they'd learn not to trust him, but somehow they always do! Definitely a fun dynamic with that character.

You'd figure, wouldn't you? Those boys get hoodwinked right near every other episode by Squire in the beginning of the show. Somehow, Squire always ends up with only a minimal amount of jail time no matter what sort of fraud he's comimted!

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The one character I haven't heard from in a long while is Mousey Gray. He got married, went off to war, came back, and then seemed to promptly disappear from the show. He poked his head in the store once or twice during the first part of 1946, but other than that, not a trace.

You're right- it's either as you say,or they're basing the judgement on the 'live' sitcom version of the show, in which case, I'd tend to agree!

The biggest irony of judging Lum and Abner badly for 'scripts' is that they rarely used them. As I understand it, the two barely read from their scripts, and improvised much of the dialogue- they just wrote a basic outline of how the story needed to progress. To me, the acting is so good it's hardly acting- they seem to 'become' the characters they play.

I believe you are correct about scripting. They probably had a beginning and an ending worked out and spent the rest of the time ad-libbing. That in itself is amazing, considering how good a program they put out.

While there are a few situations in the show I do not particularly care for and a lot of times a scenario might be repeated (Lum fakes a broken leg, for example) the show remains lively and interesting, not to mention funny.

By the way, when I wrote my previous message, I imagined your answer would have been, "Saaaaaaaaaaaaaassy fras!" What do I win?

Believe it or not they still exist. According to Wikipedia (link below)

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In America, Horlicks Tablets were sold as a candy, offered in a glass bottle resembling an aspirin jar. These tablets were used during World War II as an energy boosting treat by U.S., UK and other soldiers. Today, these are packaged in foil pouches, manufactured in Malaysia as Horlicks Malties.

Horlick malted milk. I remember that as a kid while living in Racine, Wisconsin. Also Horlick High School was the arch rival of mine, Park High School. Another note to the discussion above. Never thought it would lead to my home town.